NEW INFORMATION: Victim identified in Altoona homicide

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – We now know the name of the victim in the homicide investigation in Altoona.

During a bond hearing in Eau Claire County Court, District Attorney Gary King told the court that Panhia Vue’s body was found in a shed on the property that investigators have been at since Tuesday.

King said Vue had severe burns to her upper abdomen. He went on to say that evidence shows both Ying Xiong and Vue were living at the home on 10th Street West in Altoona together, where there was evidence of a struggle.

Vue was last seen on June 9 at the residence, and Xiong left the home on June 11. He swapped his car for an SUV in Lake Hallie and investigators say that's the vehicle he was in when he was arrested in Marathon County. They say he had more than $19,000 in cash on him.

King says there is video of Xiong and Vue at a convenience store in Altoona on June 9, and it appears to show Vue wearing the same pants as she had on when her body was found.

King says an autopsy shows Vue was strangled. He also told the court that the couple had domestic issues in the past, and that Xiong has anger issues when he drinks.

Online court records show Xiong is currently going through a divorce. The victim is not his estranged wife.

Xiong appeared via video conference at the hearing. A judge set bond at $500,000 cash.

We were at today's court appearance and will have much more tonight on WEAU 13 News at Five, Six and Ten.

------------------------------EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - A suspect in the homicide investigation in Altoona is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.

The Eau Claire County Jail says Ying Xiong, 41, of Altoona has a hearing scheduled at 11 a.m. Friday.

Xiong was arrested and booked into the jail on suspicion of First Degree Intentional Homicide. Investigators responded to a home on 10th Street West in Altoona on Tuesday, and have been at the property during the day on Wednesday. The victim's identity has not been released.

WEAU 13 News will have a crew in the courtroom for the hearing, and we'll let you know what happens on-air and online.-------------------------ALTOONA, Wisc. (WEAU) - Officers have their suspect in jail after finding a body in Altoona.

The Altoona Police Department confirmed that 41-year-old Ying Xiong is a suspect in the suspicious death on 10th St. West.

The Altoona man was booked for First Degree Homicide. Police would not say if he was living at the crime scene, but court records show his address listed there as recently as last month.

Investigators said they asked Marathon County deputies to find Ying Xiong because he was wanted for questioning, and he was pulled over near Mosinee Wednesday. Deputies said there was a high speed chase and he later took off on foot into the woods. Jailers told us he was moved to the Eau Claire county jail Wednesday.

“Could it happen again? Or was it just a misfortune?” Thomas Beck, who lives next door to the crime scene asked Thursday.

Those are the questions police said are now answered after Xiong’s arrest.

“This is an isolated incident, I don't think Altoona’s any more dangerous than it was a week ago, or that it's going to be a year from now. I think it's still a safe community and I don't think the public needs to be worried,” Altoona Police Chief James Small said.

Police haven't said what evidence brought them to Xiong, or his connection to the murder victim.

Beck said he recognized Xiong from his mug shot, and thinks he saw him leaving the scene after police arrived.

“I wanna see the person that committed the crime, if he's guilty, I’d like to see him punished, for what he did,” Beck said.

As for the people living in the house, Altoona Police Chief James Small said they are staying with relatives and being cared for.

"Their needs are being cared for, the county crisis response team has worked with them to make sure their needs are being met. We have investigators in contact with them frequently to make sure their needs are being met," he said.

Pa Thao with the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association says the organization is ready to help the people who live in the house if needed.

With Xiong in custody, both police and neighbors said they were thankful for the work done to bring him to justice in less than 48 hours.

“I'm very glad that they found a suspect and that there was an arrest made. It kind of eases the neighborhood up a little bit,” Beck said.

Xiong is set to appear in court in Eau Claire Friday morning.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ALTOONA, Wis.(ALTOONA POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE) - As previously indicated, the Altoona Police Department, with assistance from the Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Eau Claire County Sheriff's Office, is currently investigating a suspicious death that was reported on 10th St W on June 11, 2013. The death has been determined to be a homicide.

The Altoona Police Department has a suspect in custody at the Eau Claire County Jail. The suspect is Ying Xiong, 41, of Altoona. Xiong was located in Marathon County on June 12. He will appear at a hearing in Eau Claire County at 11 a.m.on Friday morning.

Altoona Police Department do not expect to officially identify the victim today, and no additional information is expected to be released today. It is anticipated that additional information will be available at the Friday Morning bond hearing for Mr. Xiong.-----------------------------------EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – A man who once lived at the home where police are investigating a suspicious death has been booked into jail on suspicion of First Degree Intentional Homicide.

On Thursday morning, the Eau Claire County Jail confirmed that Ying Xiong, 41, was in jail. The jail did not have bond information available, and could not provide Xiong’s current address. A jailer also could not tell us when Xiong was booked into the jail.

Online court records show that Xiong lived in the home on 10th Street West in Altoona where investigators have been looking into a suspicious death as recently as last month. On Thursday morning, an Altoona Police Department squad car was in front of the house with an officer in the driver’s seat.

A news release from Altoona police Wednesday night says that an autopsy on the victim, who hasn’t been identified, has been done. There’s no word on the results of the autopsy. Police have also not discussed the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death, or any potential suspects.

WEAU 13 News spoke with Altoona Police Chief James Small late Thursday morning, but Small would not say whether Xiong is connected to the case. He did say that the department has a "dynamic investigation" going on right now, and that he doesn't want to compromise certain parts of it. He expects to release new information Thursday afternoon, but that it will not include the identity of the victim.

Xiong is expected to appear in court on Friday.

________________

(WEAU)--Investigators in Marathon County say Altoona police asked them to help them find a man they wanted to question.

Officers there couldn't say what the questioning was about, but say they did arrest the man after a chase.

A lieutenant with the Marathon County Sheriff's Department tells us they arrested a man after a short foot chase near Mosinee Wednesday afternoon. The lieutenant says the man was wanted for questioning by the Altoona Police Department.

Wednesday afternoon, officers spotted him in his vehicle on old Highway 51 just after 3 p.m. When they turned their squad car lights on, the lieutenant says the suspect pulled over near the top of the hill bar. He then got out of his vehicle and ran into a nearby wooded area but was captured a short time later.

Altoona Police Department personnel and law enforcement personnel from numerous other agencies are working diligently to complete this investigation. Anyone with information about the investigation should contact Altoona Police at (715) 839-6090.

Based upon evidence collected at this point, investigators believe there is no public safety threat.

A defendant enjoys the presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove its allegations at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.